Brake system and mechanism



Dec. 31, 1929. E. SLADE BRAKE SYSTEM AND MECHANISM Filed May 21, 1927 2 SheetsSheet l 4 INV ENTOR. 5W

E. S LADE BRAKE SYSTEM AND MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 21, 1.927

Patented Dec. 33, 1929 rum P Fries A EDWARD SLADE, OF NEW YDRK, N. Y.

BRAKE SYSTETJI AND MECHANISM Application filed May 2-1,

My invention relates to a system and mechanism for applying brakes to moving bodies or apparatus of any character to retard or arrest the movement, and relates more par- 5 ticularly to a system and mechanism for retarding or arresting the rotary movement of the wheels of moving vehicles, and especially motor driven vehicles.

The main object of my invention is to provide a system and mechanism whereby the braking action or pressure required to apply the brakes for retarding or arresting the movement of a moving body or vehicle is derived from the driving power or momentum of the moving body or vehicle, and to control the application thereof manually, either by means of a foot pedal or hand lever; and sec ondly the object is to provide a system and 'mechanism whereby the brakes may be applied manually and increased pressure obtained through the driving power or momentum of the moving body or vehicle.

In carrying my invention into effect I employ a brake or brakes, operating levers and connecting links, of any approved type, in conjunction with a friction device operatively connected between the brake lever system and y the brake controlling or setting means. This friction device is moved into functioning position by the brake controlling or setting means and when so moved is actuated by the moving body or vehicle and transmits power to the brake levers.

The friction device is preferably in the form of a brake consisting of a wheel and shoes or a drum and band. The wheel or drum is carried by a shaft, which may be the driving shaft for imparting motion to a moving body or vehicle or a shaft driven thereby. The friction band or shoes, which are normally out of contact with the drum or wheel, are mounted upon suitably pivoted levers or cranks and connected with the brake lever system and controlling means in such manner thatwhen the brake controlling means is operated, manually or otherwsie, to apply the brake which retards or arrests the movement of the body or vehicle, the friction band or shoes will be brought into contact with the 59 rotating drum o W e a d t energy ab 1927. Serial No. 193,269.

sorbed by such frictional engagement will create a pull on the brake lever system and apply power to the brake. The connection between the brake controlling or setting means and the friction device will be so arranged that the degree of contact at the friction device will gradually increase with the continued movement of such means. The amount of power or pressure thus applied to the brake will depend upon the degree of frictional engagement at the friction device, and the degree of friction will depend upon the degree of movement of the brake controlling or setting means; and since the pressure exerted upon the brake is dependent upon the degree of friction at the friction device, or in other Words, upon the extent of movement of the brake controlling or setting means, it is obvious that the power applied to the brake will be independent of the amount of pressure applied to the brake controlling means by the operator, and that the degree of movement thereof, is the controlling factor, and hence in manually operated brakes no fatigue will result to the operator as is the case in direct manually operated brake systems. It will also be obvious that in a brake system embodying my invention the connections between the brake lever system and the friction vdevice may be so adjusted that movement of the manually operated controlling or setting means will first effect a light application of the brake and then by continued movement of the controlling means bring the friction band into engagement with its drum and apply power to the brake lever system, thus supplementing the manual power.

In illustrating my invention I have shown its application to a motor driven vehicle, and in the drawing forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a schematic view illustrating a four-wheel brake system for a motor driven vehicle; Figure 2 a plan view illustrating one form of friction device that may be employed in carrying my invention into efiect; Figure 3 an elevation of the same with the parts in the normal or nonfunctioning position; Figure 4 a similar ViBW illu ating the mechanism in the posi W0 tion assumed after the brake controlling device or foot pedal ha been operated to apply the brakes; Figure 5 a sectional view on line 5-5 through Figure 3 looking in the direction of the arrow, and Figure 6 a sectional view on line 6-6 through Figure 4 looking in the direction of the arrow.

In Figure 1 of the drawings, the four wheels of a motor driven vehicle are represented at 1, and the brakes at 2, one for each wheel. 33 indicate the connecting links for the forward brakes, 4-4 the connecting links for the rear brakes, 5 and 6 the rockshaft for same, 7 and 8 the operating links which actuate the rock-shaft, 9 the pedal for actuating or controlling the brake lever system, and 10 the emergency brake lever which is operatively connected with the links 11 and 12 connected respectively to the rockshaft 5 and 6.

Referring now more particularly to F igures 2, 3, and 4, it will be observed that the links 7 and 8 are adjustably connected to a lever 13 which is centrally mounted and fixed on a bar 14, supported by and free to rock in bearings 15, which in practice will be fixed in any suitable manner upon the chassis of the motor vehicle. The emergency brake lever may also be mounted on this bar if desired, or it may be separately mounted depending upon the character and general construction of the motor vehicle.

From the foregoing itwill be observed that when the pedal 9 is moved forward to apply the brakes, bar 14 and lever 13 will be rocked. from the position shown in Figure 3 to the position shown in Figure 4, which movement pulls the connecting links 7 and 8 in a direction indicated by the arrows, and this movement will cause a-corresponding rocking motion to be imparted to the rock-shaft 5 and 6 (Figure 1) and a pull imparted to connecting links 3 and4, and

thus applying the brakes according to common practice in operating motor vehicles; and 'by the operation of the parts thus described, it will be noticed that the pull or power applied to the brakes will depend entirely upon the pressure exerted upon 'foot pedal 9. i 7

As above stated one of the objects of my invention is to provide a system and mechanlsm for obtaining the braking power through the driving power or momentum of the moving body, and for this purpose I connect between the brake lever system and the pedal, or other manually operated means, a friction device which may be of any desired form, but for the purpose of this specification is illustrated in the drawings in the form of a drum 16 and friction band 18, the drum being mounted upon a shaft 17, which may be a main driving or engine shaft, or a jack-shaft, but in any event a shaft which 1s actuated through the driving power or the momentum of the vehicle. The friction band 18 is adjustably connected at both ends to rocking levers or cranks 19 and 20, loosely mounted on shaft 21, carried by bearing or support 22, which is illustrated as being part of the same structure in which are formed bearings 23 for the shaft 17. Connected with the cranks 19 and 20 are links 24 and 25, respectively, and these links are connected with cranks 26 and 27, respectively, carried by and fixed on bar 14.

By reference to Figures 3 and 4, it will be observed that the side or arm of crank 20 which is connected to band 18 is slightly long er than the correspondingarmof crank 19,and that the sides whichare connected to links 24 and 25, respectively, are of equal length. It will also be observed that the crank 27 on bar 14 is somewhat longer than the crank 26. The purpose of this arrangement is that when the foot pedal 9 is actuated to rock the bar 14, cranks 26 and 27 will, respectively, actuate cranks 19 and 20 through links 24 and 25, impartin'g on the one hand an upward movement to the band 18, on the right hand side looking at Figure 5, and a downward movement on the left hand side, and through the difference in dimensions as aforesaid, the downward movement of the band will slightly exceed the upward movement, thus slowly bringing the band into frictional engagement with the rotating drum as seen in Figure 6, and producing a pull on band 18 in the direction of the arrow. Through this arrangement, it will be noted, that as the operator continues to move the pedal 9 forward, the movement of the band 18 as just described will be continued and result in a gradually increased frictional engagement between the drum and band, and a gradually increasing pull on link 24. This pull will continue the movement of link 24 started by the pedal movement, Figure 4, but such movement will now be a pull instead of a push, and which in turn will pull the crank 26 and rock the bar 14, and this movement'in turn will continue the swing of lever 13 and pull on links 7 and8 in the direction of the arrows and apply the brakes as above stated, but with power derived from the moving bodyor vehicle instead of from the footpedal 9.

It will be evident that the adjustment of links 7 and 8 between lever 13 and rock-shaft 5 and'6, and the adjustment of the connections between band 18 and cranks 19 and 20,

may be so arranged that the pedal movement side of the system,

. As thus far described, levers 24 and 25 are pull, of the drum on the band and crank 19,

both indicated as positive .link connections and permit 'the entire lever system under between levers 26 and 27 and cranks 19 and 20, the pull of springs 25 and 25 to resume the but in practice I prefer to connect link 25 with normal or lever 27 through springtension, and for this ure 3. purpose I have shown a helical extension What I claim is: spring 25 hooked to lever 27 and adj ustably 1. In connected with link 25 by means of a screwa brake, brake lever and controllingv means threaded bolt passing through an eye in the for manual operation of the brake, of a fric hooked end of the link and held by a nut. tion device for applying power to said lever Thus when link 25 is pulled to the left, Figcomprising a rotary member and apulling ure 4, through the rocking of bar 14 by the member adapted to be brought into frictional pullon crank 26 by link 24, crank 19, band engagement by the manual operation of said 18 and drum 16, the spring 25' will be extendcontrolling means, and a differential conneced, increasing its tension, but affording a tion between the pulling member and the yielding or balanced pull on link 25 and crank brake lever, whereby a gradually increasing 20. This action will prevent'the pull on link frictional engagement is obtained at the fric- 25 from resuting in any tendency of the band tion device for gradually increasing the pull 18 seizing drum 16 which woud' result in a on the brake lever to boost the pressure apsudden jamming of the brakes. Spring 25 plied by the manual operation.

will, by proper adjustment, maintain a close 2. In a brake system, the combination with contact between the drum and band on its a brake, brake lever and controlling means I and continuously serve to for manual operation of the brake, of a frictake up slack created by the pull of the drum tion device for applying power to said lever on band 18 so long as the operating pedal comprising a rotary member and a pulling is held in a functioning position or its movemember adapted to be brought intofrictional non-functioning position of Fig- .ment in the functioning direction is conengagement by the manual application of tinned. Thus it will be seen that by reason the brake, and a difierential connection beof the difference in length of the crank arms tween the pulling member, brake lever and connected to band 18; the difference in length controlling means, whereby a variable fricof the cranks 26 and 27, and the provision of tional engagement at the friction device is a compensating spring 25, a differential lever obtained to vary the pull on the brake lever. system is provided between the brake control- 3. In a brake system, the combination with ling means, the brake operating levers and the a brake, brake lever and controlling means, friction device. By this arrangement the of a friction device for applying power to pull on the brake lever system is automaticalsaid lever comprising a rotary member and ly adjusted according to the extent of movea pulling member, and a differential lever ment of, or the point to which the controlling system connecting the pulling member with means or pedal is adjusted and held, and rethe brake lever and controlling means, wheregardless of the amount of pessure applied to by the degree of movement imparted to the such controlling means. In fact the tendency controlling means produces a variable fricof the diiferential arrangement is to move the tional engagement at the friction device to controlling meansor pedal forward as the Vary the pull on the brake lever.

bar 14 is rocked by the pull of link 24 on crank 4. In a brake system, the combination with 26 through the pull of band 18 on crank 19 a brake, brake lever and controlling means, and this action through crank 27 increases the Of a friction device for applying power to pull on spring 25*, link 25 and crank 20, taksaid lever having one element arranged to be ing up slack on hand 18, and thereby compendriven through the momentum of a moving sating for the pull of drum 16 on the band body whose motion is to be retarded, a secand maintaining proper frictional engage- 0nd element connected with the brake lever, ment between drum and band. An auxiliary and mechanism operated by the controlling spring 25 is connected between crank 20 and means for effecting a differential movement a bracket 28 to insure the return movement of of said second element relative to the driven crank 20 to the normal or non-functioning element to vary the power applied'to the position of Figure 3 and hold band 18 out of brake. contact with the drum 16 when the braking 5. In a brake system for vehicles, the comaction is discontinued, and incidentally this bination, with a brake, a rock-shaft having a spring supplements the pull of spring 25 on brake operating lever and manually opcrank 27 to rock bar 14. Thus when the opererated means whereby the rock-shaft is ating means or pedal 9 is released or moved actuated to apply the brake, of a .fricbackward, spring 25 will relax and link 25 tion device for applying auxiliary power will move to the right due to the pull of spring to said shaft, said device comprising; a

25 and cause crank 20 to move band 18 up: rotary drum actuated through the driving ward and away from the drum, reducing the mechanism of the vehicle, a friction band frictional engagement, and consequently the adapted to engage sald drum, a positive lever a brake system, the combination with g t as and link'cpnnection between one end of said band and the rock-shaft, and a yielding lever and link connection between the other end of said band and the rock-shaft for moving said band into frictional engagement with the drum for applying power to said brake lever.

6. In a brake system for vehicles,the combination with a brake, operating lever and controlling means, of a rotary drum actuated through the driving mechanism of the vehicle, a friction band adapted to engage said drum, crank and link connections between the ends of said band and the brake operating lever, and an operative connection between the controlling means and said cranks and links for moving said band into frictional engagement with the drum for applying power to said brake lever.

7. In a brake system for vehicles, the combination with a brake, operating lever and controlling means, of a rotary drum actuated through the driving mechanism of the vehicle, a friction band adapted to engage said drum, differential crank and link connections between the ends of said band and the brake operating lever, and an operative connection between the controlling means and said cranks and links for imparting a differential movement to said band for effecting a variable frictional engagement with the drum for applying power to said brake lever.

8. In a brake system for vehicles, the combination of a rotary drum actuated through the driving mechanism of the vehicle, a friction band adaptedto engage said drum, a

air of crank-levers between which said band is connected, a rock-shaft, a brake operating lever mounted thereon, a pair of cranks on said shaft, links between said crank-levers and cranks, and means for rocking said shaft to actuate said cranks and links to move said band into frictional engagement with the drum, whereby power will be applied throulgh the lever system to the vehicle brake.

9. n a brake system for vehicles, the combination of a rotary drum actuated through the driving mechanism of the vehicle, a friction band adapted to engage said drum, 3. pair of crank-levers of different leverage between which said band is connected, a rockshaft, a brake-operating lever mounted thereon, a pair of cranks of different length on said shaft, links between said crank-levers and cranks, and means for rocking said shaft to actuate said cranks and links and thereby imparting a differential movement to said band wh1le moving same into frictional engagement with the drum, whereby power will be gradually applied through the lever system to the vehicle brake.

10. In a brake system as defined in claim 9, a pair of link connections between the cranklevers and cranks, comprisin a'positive link between the shorter pair of cranks, and a yielding link between the longer pair.

11. In a brake system as defined by claim '9, a pair of link connections between the 

